Dan D'Addona: Hamilton guard trio best area has seen

Just a few years ago, it was difficult to find more than a handful of strong girls basketball players in the area. But in the past four years, girls basketball has flourished. Every team has a legitimate all-conference player and the teams are getting better as a result. ...

Just a few years ago, it was difficult to find more than a handful of strong girls basketball players in the area.

But in the past four years, girls basketball has flourished.

Every team has a legitimate all-conference player and the teams are getting better as a result.

That makes Hamilton’s transformation into a state-ranked team all the more impressive.

A few years back, the No. 6 Hawkeyes would have seasons with five wins. Now, here they are 19-1 after winning their first conference title since 1994, heading into the Class B district tournament that tips off this week.

“I want to say it means everything, but it is definitely a dream I have had,” Hamilton coach Dan Van Hekken said. “As a player, I won conference championships and I know what it can do for a program. It is huge for our program.”

Van Hekken is a huge reason for the success. He has brought a Hope College-like defensive prowess to the Hawkeyes and they have thrived behind pressure defense.

It starts with their guards.

Ashley Overbeek, Jenna Schra and Carlye Voorhorst might be the best backcourt trio in the state — certainly in West Michigan. Many teams have two great guards, not three.

“They have been huge for us,” Van Hekken said.

Overbeek has been the best player in the area for two years and is still just a junior.

The guard can do it all. She shoots the 3, plays defense and has an incredible ability to drive to the basket.

“It is awesome,” Overbeek said of having Schra and Voorhorst for teammates. “It takes so much pressure off. All of us can score. It helps our defensive pressure. It just makes us better overall.”

Overbeek averages 13.5 points per game to go along with 3.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.0 steals.

Schra has transformed from a sharp shooter to a prolific scorer this season. The senior averages 13 points and three steals.

“It makes it a lot less stressful,” Schra said. “You don’t have to worry about scoring. In practice, it makes us all better defensively because we always are guarding a great shooter.”

With those two scorers, it is easy to see why teams forget about Voorhorst.

The senior averages just 6.1 points per game, but has broken loose for 15-plus points in a few games this year.

Voorhorst just doesn’t need to score with the other two hitting.

But Voorhorst’s on-court leadership, intensity and ability to distribute the ball makes her uniquely important to the Hawkeyes’ success.

Hamilton had a couple of close calls in the OK Green Conference season, both at the hands of Holland Christian.

The Maroons took Hamilton to overtime in the first matchup, then lost the second matchup when a game-tying attempt at the buzzer rolled all the way around the rim before falling out.

Page 2 of 2 -
The two teams are on a collision course to meet the third time in the district final.

“The games with Holland Christian were a battle, but they were fun,” Overbeek said. “We know if we play them the third time, it will battle. It has been an awesome season. We all get a long great, so it makes everything so much more fun. I don’t think any of us want it to end.”

If the trio of guards is a the top of its game in the posteason, it won’t end for quite a while.